Authorities have launched a double-murder investigation after an elderly couple in U.K. were killed before their home was set on fire. The victims, both in their 70s, were found unresponsive in Chidham, West Sussex, on Saturday morning.
In a report by The Times, the two people were said to be attacked in their bungalow before it was set on fire. They have been identified as Dennis Jefferson, 76, and Sheila Jefferson, 73. They reportedly died from neck and hand injuries at their house located in a seaside village.
The suspect, on the other hand, is said to have suffered severe burns and is currently listed to be under critical condition at a hospital. Police are still waiting to question the man, The Guardian reported.
Initially, it was believed that the couple died from the fire but it has been discovered in a postmortem examination that they both died from other injuries and not from smoke inihlation.
West Sussex fire and rescue service were called to the area in Chidham on Saturday around 8:35 A.M. The couple was declared to be dead at the scene. Director of Central Intelligence Tanya Jones said in a statement, "We are treating this as a murder investigation and are following several lines of inquiry. It appears the couple was attacked before their home was set alight."
Jones added that they will be working with the fire service as well as forensic and crime scene investigators to trace what really happened, Mirror reported.
As for the suspect, Jones said that the man is being treated as the potential suspect in their investigation and that no arrests have been made yet. Jones said, "This is a tragic incident and we are appealing to anyone in the area who might have seen or heard anything suspicious in Maybush Drive between 9am on Friday and 8.35am when the fire started on Saturday morning."
Neighbors of the couple said that they were shocked with the incident and did not understand why anyone would do such thing, noting that the couple were the nicest people they have known.
Currently, the investigation is still ongoing.
